Keeping Up Appearances
by roothlace
Summary: In order not to lose her job Gwen hires an actor to pretend to be her husband
1. Chapter 1

I was watching the _Hallmark_ film _The Family Plan_ when I got this idea. _Merlin_ and _The Family Plan_ don't belong to me.

**Keeping Up Appearances**

Gwen Roberts made her way quickly to her best friend's office and sat down.

"I can't believe this is happening," she told Morgana.

"What?"

"How long have I worked here?" Gwen continued. "Haven't I proved my worth? Haven't I increased the company profit by 30 percent since I was put in charge of the ad campaign?"

"You know you have," Morgana replied. "What is going on?"

"I just left Mr. Jones' office and you'll never believe what he told me."

"You asked if you were married or even engaged didn't he?" Morgana asked her. Gwen nodded. What did marriage have to do with a person's ability to do their job properly?

"And you told him the truth, right?" Morgana asked.

"Did you expect me to make up a husband on the spot?" Gwen asked her friend. "I didn't get a chance to reply, he received a call from his wife and I left his office."

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"Love you too, Isolde," Tristan Jones told his wife and hang up the phone.

Jones Biscuits and Sweets was a household name in Camelot and had been founded by Tristan's great grandfather Tristan Jones I in 1875, since then the company had gone from strength to strength and it stood on three principles, Family, Honesty and Family.

Tristan was the CEO of the company and he worked at the headquarters, his brother Theodore was in charge of the branch here in Oakstree. Theodore was currently on his honeymoon and Tristan had decided to come down and check on his brother's operation. What he had seen so far had impressed him and the only problem he had was that some heads of department were not married and they had no plans to get married in the next few months.

He looked up as Morgana entered the room, she was Theodore's VP.  
"Mr. Jones," she began.

"Tristan, please."

"Tristan," Morgana continued. "I hear you're thinking of letting the unmarried department heads go."

"Yes," Tristan replied, "I know it seems unrealistic but family is very important to us Jones and it sends out a very bad picture if one of the department heads is unmarried."

Morgana nodded. The Joneses were so old-fashioned if she didn't really love her job she'd consider quitting.

"This Guinevere Roberts," Tristan continued, picking up her file, "she's really good at her job."

"She's more than good," Morgana told him.

"I would hate to lose her then," Tristan replied, "I see from her file that she isn't married."

Morgana laughed and said, "The HR guys must have not updated her file yet she got married a few months ago."

"Really?" Tristan was relieved. He had had two fire two people already. "She didn't go on a honeymoon, because there's no record of her taking any leave days at all."

"She and Lancelot haven't had time to go on a honeymoon yet," Morgana said, "but they plan to go later in the year."

"Good."

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"You told him WHAT?" Gwen asked her friend.

"He was on the verge of firing you," Morgana said, "I couldn't let that happen."

"So you let him believe that I was married to someone called Lancelot," Gwen said. "I'm going to tell him." she stood up.

"If you tell him the truth," Morgana told her, "we both lose our jobs."

Gwen sat down.

"I may have also told him that you have a mortgage and live at 303 Victor's Lane."

"Why?" Gwen asked her.

303 Victor's Lane was Morgana's home, she and her husband Gwaine had bought it a few years back, it was a huge seven bed roomed house with extensive grounds. Gwaine and Morgana had an on and off- again sort of relationship and currently it was off. Morgana lived in the house with their seven year-old daughter, Katie, whom they had adopted at birth.

"To make him think that you have no intention of leaving Jones anytime soon," Morgana said.

"I have no intention of leaving Jones," Gwen replied.

"He doesn't know that."

Gwen did the only thing she could do. "Thank you Morgana," she told her friend, hugging her.

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Gwen was about to enter her car on Friday evening when Tristan walked up to her.

"Hey, neighbour," he said.

"Hey," Gwen had no idea what he was talking about.

"Guess what," Tristan continued, "Isolde got tired of living in a hotel and since Teddy won't be back for another three months we decided to get a house. You'll never guess who your new neighbours are going to be."

Please don't say you, Gwen prayed silently, but her prayers were unanswered.

"They took us everywhere and then we discovered that the house next to your on Victor's Lane was vacant so we took it. We're going to be neighbours, isn't that nice?"

"Yes it is," Gwen smiled hoping that he couldn't see how fake it was. She was going to kill Morgana.

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"What am I going to do?" Gwen asked her friend. "He's moving in next door to you thinking it's my home."

Morgana was silent for a while and then she smiled at her friend. "You remember, Percival, the handsome guy I've been hanging out with, we'll get him."

"Get him?"

"He's an actor; I'll call his agent and see if he's available."

"You mean you paid a guy to pretend to be your sort of boyfriend?" Gwen was in shock. "And you didn't tell me?"

"I needed someone to make Gwaine jealous," Morgana said, "and it worked didn't it? He'll certainly think twice about forgetting any other holidays we've planned."

They drove to Percival's agent's office but they found that Percival was currently out of town.

"But I have other great guys on the books," Agravaine told him.

"We wanted Percival," Gwen insisted. She had met him and he seemed to be a very easygoing kind of guy.

"Let me see who's available," Agravaine said. "Surely I must have somebody who can work for you."

Gwen and Morgana sat down and watched as Agravaine went through his books. Occasionally he would make a call and take some notes.

0o0

The door burst open and a good-looking young man stormed in.

"Agravaine," he said, "you lied to me."

"They said it was a clean job," Agravaine replied.

"They wanted a cleaner," the young man replied, "_and you sent me to them_."

"You said you needed money immediately and they were going to pay you two thousand pounds."

"Two thousand pounds?" the young man asked. "Agravaine you lying cheat; you told me one thousand pounds. You_ gave_ me one thousand pounds."

"I'm sorry," Agravaine said in a voice he said that he was anything but, "but I have a new job for you."

"What job?"

"These ladies are looking for a man," Agravaine pointed at Gwen and Morgana. "It seems they have of a husband."

The young man turned and looked at them; he hadn't seen them when he had burst into the room. He hated these kinds of jobs pretending to be someone's spouse or significant other, but he really needed money.

"Will he do?" Agravaine asked. He hoped they would agree, he didn't want to have to deal with another broke and angry actor today and he had 'stolen' from this particular actor more than once.

"Yes," Morgana replied immediately.

"Good," Agravaine said, "Arthur Pendragon, I give you Morgana and Guinevere, they'll explain everything to you."

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	2. Chapter 2

Gwen was tempted to fire Arthur so many times, in fact if Morgana's job hadn't been on the line as well she would have just walked out. She had never met such a pompous and irritating guy in her life. Firstly, he didn't like the name Lancelot, "why can't I just use my own name or maybe Bob? Who names their child Lancelot, anyway, in this day and age?" he had asked about thrice. Morgana had explained to him why and reminded him that as an actor he should be willing to use the name of the character he's been given.

In addition to that when they were discussing their cover story, Arthur refused to be a part of it saying that he preferred to make it up as he went along. "I've pretended to be someone's husband or boyfriend at least a dozen times, trust me it's better to go with what feels right at the moment."

When Gwen suggested engineer (he'd acted as one before), Arthur insisted on being a traveling salesman for a pharmaceutical company and he insisted on calling her Guinevere inspite of the fact that she had asked him (icily) to call her Gwen. "If everyone calls you Gwen, then as your husband I have to be different."

"So I'll see you tomorrow," Arthur told them. Morgana gave him the directions to her house and he promised to be there in the morning.

"He's cute," Morgana said.

"He's annoying," Gwen replied. "But none of that matters, the thing we should be concerned with is whether he can act."

"We'll see, won't we?"

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Morgana was going away for the weekend with Katie and as Gwen waved them off she was surprised to see Tristan walking by.

"I bet you're surprised to see me," he told her. Gwen nodded, she was so grateful she'd taken up Morgana's offer to spend the night instead of coming over in the morning like she'd wanted to. "We decided to move in immediately," Tristan continued. "Turns out we didn't need a thing, the house is fully furnished."

"That's great," Gwen replied.

"Isn't it?" Tristan asked. "Isolde is still asleep but you'll meet her soon. Was that Lancelot?"

"No."

"Good," Tristan replied, "I'd hate to have missed him. I can't wait to meet him."

Go away, Gwen willed him silently, but Tristan seemed content to stand out there with her. She knew the polite thing would be to invite in for tea or something but she had yet to remove Morgana's pictures from the sitting.

A taxi pulled up and Arthur got out carrying a carry-on. He must have sensed that the man she was standing with was Tristan because he broke into a half run, threw the carry-on aside and took Gwen into his arms and made as if to kiss her, Gwen stiffened and he whispered, "we're supposed to be married, remember?" and then added aloud, "I've missed you Guinevere," he told her. He kept his arms around her and would have begun kissing her neck if Tristan hasn't coughed softly.

"Sorry," Arthur apologized, "I sort of forgot that you were there."

"I'm Tristan Jones," Tristan said, "you new neighbour and Gwen's boss. You must be Lancelot." He said the latter in an accusatory tone if he daring Arthur to say he wasn't Gwen's husband.

"Guilty," Arthur replied. They shook hands, Arthur turned back to Gwen and Tristan seeing that he was clearly intruding on a private moment made his excuses and left.

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"What was that all about?" Gwen asked Arthur.

"You're my wife," he replied, "I haven't seen you in a while."

"That was my boss," Gwen told him.

"From what I understand this boss of yours wants you to be married," Arthur pointed out, "he should expect such behaviour _and_ we are at home not in the office."

Gwen couldn't argue with that and she began to take him on a tour of the house. They were in the sitting room removing the many pictures of Morgana, Gwaine and Katie when the doorbell rang.

Gwen was surprised to see Tristan standing at the door.

"I'm sorry to intrude," he told her, making his way into the hallway, "seeing as Lancelot has just returned home and all but there's something I need to ask you."

Gwen made no move to invite him further and told him apologetically, "the house is such a mess, and I won't want you to trip over our dirty laundry."

Tristan nodded in understanding "I know I should have not come back, Isolde certainly warned me about intruding, but this couldn't wait."

"It's fine," Arthur said, joining them in the hallway.

"There's golf club in town," Tristan said, "and when I asked I was told that we're all members…"

"Yes we are," Arthur replied. "Do you want me to introduce you to the guys?" Gwen glared at Arthur, what was he talking about? _He_ wasn't a member of the club.

"You play golf," Tristan was relieved. "Isolde told me that I was being presumptuous, not everybody plays golf but I told her that a man like you must be a golfer."

Arthur laughed a bit too loudly in Gwen's opinion. He probably didn't know anything about golf. Arthur was wondering to himself why he was even talking about golf. He liked sports – football and boxing, but he knew absolutely nothing about golf.

"What's your handicap?" Tristan asked.

Gwen wished that they were sitting down at the dining table she would have kicked Arthur in the shin but she had to content herself with giving him a warning glance which he totally ignored and told Tristan, "six." Gwen shut her eyes; Arthur obviously knew nothing about golf.

Tristan looked at Arthur with respect, "mine's ten," he told them. "We'll play some time and you can give me pointers."

"I'm not busy right now," Arthur said. "Why don't we go now?"

"Are you sure?" Tristan asked.

"Now's as good a time as any," Arthur replied, "Isn't it Guinevere?"

"Yes," Gwen replied, "just give us a few minutes and we'll be ready to go."

"You play golf too?" Tristan asked.

"No," Gwen replied, "I just like riding around in that cart thing and I carry Lance's clubs for him; you know spend time with my hubby."

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"That was a disaster," Gwen told Arthur when they returned to the house a few hours later. "Why did you say you could play golf?"

"Tristan wasn't going to leave us alone," Arthur told her, "if it hadn't been golf it would have been something else. Besides it was good for him to win."

Gwen had to agree with that, Tristan had been so pleased when he had won and had asked Arthur if he was letting him win on purpose while showing off his superior skills and brand new clubs.

"But why did you have to invite him for lunch tomorrow?"

"The man went on and on about a decent home cooked meal, how Isolde won't be able to cook because she doesn't have her precious pans, the man was clearly asking for an invitation" Arthur reminded her, "and I wanted to impress him with your fine cooking skills."

"Beef Wellington?" Gwen asked him. "Why would you pick that?"

"I like Beef Wellington," Arthur told her.

"And I can't cook."

"Not to worry, Guinevere dearest," Arthur said, "I can."

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"So how did you two meet?" Isolde asked.

The four of them had just finished lunch which everyone agreed had been great. Gwen and Arthur were clearing up the table.

Gwen and Arthur looked at each other and she said, "Dearest why don't you tell them?"

"No, honeybunch," Arthur replied, "you tell them, you tell it so well."

Gwen would have refused but she didn't want it to become a game of 'you, no you'.

"Well," she began, _think, think, think_, "It's not that great a story."

"Now we're really intrigued," Isolde said. "What happened?"

"It was Valentine's Day," Gwen began, thinking of Gwaine and Morgana's first meeting. "I was in the mall, walking around by myself, listening to the music watching people buy flowers."

"She got tired of watching other people enjoy themselves," Arthur added, "it was making her feel how alone she was."

"I went outside to get a taxi to bring me home," Gwen continued; she had no idea what to add Arthur had already changed the story.

"It was raining," Arthur told them, "and when a taxi slowed she got in quickly." He stopped talking and asked Gwen, "should I tell them or would you like to pick up the story?"

"Tell them," Gwen told Arthur.

"I was already in the taxi," Arthur said, "when Guinevere realized she wanted to get out but it was raining heavily."

"So you went off together?" Isolde asked.

"I was so taken up by her beauty I forgot to get out at my stop," Arthur said. "I was late for a meeting."

"And when he finally got out he forgot the flowers he'd bought in the car," Gwen chimed in.

"So you got flowers after all," Isolde said, "how nice."

"So is that when you began to date?" Tristan asked.

"No."

"Yes."

"No, yes, which is it?" Isolde laughed.

"He always says that that when we began to date," Gwen said, "but I didn't even know his name and there was still the matter of the girl to whom the flowers really belonged."

"And I always maintain that we remember things differently," Arthur said, he went over to where Gwen was standing and took her hand and kissed it. "But it really doesn't matter, what matters is that we found each other."

"How sweet," Isolde said.

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"I was beginning to think they'd never leave," Gwen said. "Talk about pushy people."

"Maybe they don't like being alone with each other," Arthur said.

"They just like torturing other people," Gwen replied. "Are we supposed to be like best friends after just one day?"

"You must admit though, that it's been fun," Arthur said.

"Fun? This wasn't fun," Gwen said.

Arthur's phone rang. He listened for a while and then told Gwen, "I'm sorry, but I have to leave."

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	3. Chapter 3

"You can't just leave," Gwen protested. _He couldn't just leave her like that._

"I'm sorry," Arthur replied, "but this is important."

"So is this," Gwen reminded him.

"I'll call Agravaine and ask him to refund your money, and explain that I wasn't fit for the job, whatever, I'm sure I can think of something." He could imagine Agravaine's face.

Gwen almost slapped him. How dare he think that this was about the money? Gwen was a trust fund baby and in few years all the thirty million pounds that her maternal grandparents had left her would be hers, on top of that she was very well paid. She wouldn't miss the measly thousands that she was paying him. She needed him to finish the job he had started and she told him so.

"Your boss can deal with the fact that I'm not around for a few days," Arthur said, "he might not even notice."

Gwen knew that he was right; she didn't need him around all the time to prove that they were married but she still wanted to know why he had to leave so suddenly and she didn't want to admit it but she didn't want face Tristan and Isolde alone. They were scary.

That point was even made stronger when before Gwen could voice her thoughts aloud their doorbell rang.

"If it's your boss again," Arthur began but left the rest of the sentence unsaid.

Sure enough Tristan and Isolde were standing outside the door.

"Neighbours, it us, again," Tristan said as he and Isolde followed Gwen to the sitting room. "You du Lacs must be getting tired of us." Tristan laughed and then turned to Arthur and said, "that reminds me, Gwen didn't take you last name when your got married."

"Why would she?" Arthur asked. Surely they hadn't come to talk about that!

Tristan and Isolde looked at each other and then Isolde said, "A woman doesn't have to take the man's last name when they marry, certainly not in these modern times. But still, Gwen you should consider it."

"Why should she?" Arthur asked. "If the changing of the name is meant to show to the world that she's mine now then it's totally unnecessary. Everybody who needs to know that we're married does and we certainly know that we are; that's enough in my opinion."

"Well said," Tristan said. "But still, for propriety's sake and, also for the sake of the children when you start having them."

"Our children will have their father's name," Gwen assured them. She hoped that Tristan and Isolde hadn't come to talk about the fact that she hadn't taken on her supposed husband's last name.

"Lest you think we came here to discuss that obviously important but not life or death issue," Tristan said, "we have come to say goodbye."

"You're leaving?" Gwen hoped her voice didn't reveal how happy she was to hear that.

"Only for two weeks," Isolde assured them quickly.

"Isolde's grandmother is turning 90 in about a week's time," Tristan explained. "And she's determined to have celebrations that will outdo the Royal Wedding and the Queen's diamond Jubilee combined."

Gwen and Arthur just smiled at the couple.

"And she really deserves it," Tristan continued. "She's such a sweet lady, and very good person. One of the best people you'll ever meet, I'm sure."

"The celebrations will last two weeks?" Arthur asked.

"The townspeople are having a parade of sorts in her honour," Isolde said, "and several of my cousins have children, her great grandchildren, who will be christened and then there are the flower contests, a nursery school as well as a secondary school and a library that are to be opened in her honour."

"Wow," Gwen said.

"I told you she was a great lady," Tristan reminded them. "Huntsville is very lucky have someone like her living in their midst."

"I'm sure they are," Arthur said.

"So we're leaving tomorrow," Tristan continued, "To be there for all the celebrations. I have communicated to all staff but I felt that you needed to be told in person as my neighbour."

Gwen couldn't find the right words to say to that so just continued smiling at her boss.

"So see you in two weeks, Guinevere Roberts, Lancelot du Lac," Tristan said, and winking at them added. "Mr. and Mrs. du Lac."

Gwen and Arthur walked to the door with them and as they walked out Isolde opened her bag and handed Gwen an envelope. "This will definitely help to improve your relationship," she whispered to her.

"Those people are insane," Arthur stated. "Stark raving mad."

"I know you don't have to tell me," Gwen replied, "it's certainly none of my business and we don't even know each other that well," she paused and added, "or at all even but why do you have to leave?"

Arthur looked at her wondering why she was interested in knowing. Surely now that the person they were putting on the whole charade for wasn't going to be around, it didn't matter whether Arthur was present or not. Arthur had pretended to be a spouse/boyfriend many times and he had quickly found out in all but two of the jobs that the clients assumed that they had paid him to be their boyfriend/husband for real and he had had to fight them off literally. He didn't think Gwen was interested in him, she didn't even like him much, so why wasn't she just glad that they didn't have to keep up the pretence?

Arthur opened his mouth fully intending to tell Gwen that he couldn't tell her, they had agreed to keep their private lives private but instead he found himself telling her the whole story.

Merlin was supposed to have been on a school trip for two weeks but Elena had found him breaking into Arthur's flat. When Merlin's mother Hunith was pregnant with Merlin she had met and married Arthur's father Uther, who already had a twelve-year-old son, the over ten-year difference them hadn't made their relationship easy and upon their parents' death in a traffic accident five years ago Arthur had become Merlin's legal guardian. Merlin resented this and the fact that they had been forced to move out of their home and now lived in a small flat and had live on Arthur's meager salary.

"How old is Merlin?" Gwen asked.

"Sixteen going on forty," Arthur replied. "He's generally a great kid but Will and Freya, his best friends, aren't good influences. I made him change schools, signed him up for after school activities that I thought would help him and when I can I spend time with him but as you can imagine it's not appreciated."

"And Elena, is she your girlfriend?"

"She's my neighbour," Arthur replied, "she helps me look out for Merlin; she's a social worker so it helps. The school trip was real and as it was part of the tuition I didn't have to pay extra but now it seems Merlin told them that we have a family crisis and he wouldn't be able to go."

"What are you going to do?" Gwen asked him.

"Shake him, beat him," Arthur answered, "I have no idea but I can't just leave him with Elena."

Gwen nodded, there was nothing she could do about that and luckily Tristan was out of their hair for while. She called Arthur a taxi and told him to call her if he needed her help.

"Thanks," Arthur said in reply to her offer for help, "but I don't want to burden you with my problems anymore than I have already done. I'll be back as soon as I can."

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	4. Chapter 4

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**Thanks for your reviews, they really help. Thanks for reading.**

"Home sweet home," Gwen said as she and Arthur entered Morgana's house. Tristan had sent mail that he was going to be back in the office on Monday and knowing him as she did Gwen had decided to go back to Morgana's on Friday evening. She wouldn't put it past Tristan and Isolde to show up at the house unannounced before then.

Arthur had been able to sort out the problems with Merlin and he was back to resume his role as her husband.

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"We have to tell them," Isolde said.

"And we shall," Tristan agreed. "Tomorrow."

"Today," Isolde replied. "Now. I don't think I'll be able to rest until I've gotten to the bottom of this thing."

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Gwen and Arthur were not surprised to see Tristan and Gwen standing outside their door bright and early on Saturday morning.

"You're back," Gwen said, opening the door to let them in. "How were the celebrations?"

"Great," Isolde said, "we met many interesting people."

Gwen led them to the balcony on the other side of the house and when to get them some refreshments.

"You know I was just thinking," Tristan said, they were all on their second cups of tea, "Lancelot, you never did tell us what it is you do."

"Yes," Isolde agreed, "what do you do, Arthur Pendragon?"

Gwen had been in the act of bringing her cup to her mouth and it fell out of her hand and fell to the floor.

"It is Arthur Pendragon, isn't it?" Tristan said. "Not Lancelot du Lac, like you told us."

"How did you find out?"

"There we were on our second night in Huntsville," Isolde said. "It was late, past one o'clock, I think but I couldn't sleep, so I turned on the TV and there you were doing toothpaste commercial. So of course I woke Tris up and luckily for us the ad was run again a few minutes later."

"How did you learn my name?"

"You lied to us about who you are," Tristan replied, "And instead of apologizing and giving us an explanation you want to know how we found out."

But Isolde was willing to explain; in fact she couldn't wait to tell them the whole story.

One of Isolde's cousins, Sophia had turned up with a fiancé. He was handsome and charming and Tristan and Isolde had been shocked to discover that his name was Lancelot du Lac. The coincidence had been too much and Isolde had taken it upon herself to find out as much as she could about Lancelot.

She had told him how she had just met another Lancelot du Lac a few weeks earlier and even described him and let slip that he was an actor of some sort. Isolde had also described the ad in full detail and Lancelot said that he knew both the ad and the actor – he had gone with school with Arthur Pendragon.

The fact that Arthur was pretending to be him had had Lancelot in stitches. He told Isolde that Arthur was an okay guy but he couldn't explain why he wasn't using his own name, and that the last he's heard Arthur Pendragon didn't have a wife.

Arthur and Gwen listened to the story in silence.

"Do I even have to say it?" Tristan asked Gwen.

She shook her head.

"You let the company down," Tristan told her. "You lied to me."

"It's not her fault," Arthur began, "she was …"

"She violated my trust," Tristan said. "You can pick up your things from the office on Monday at 9.30."

Isolde and Tristan stood up and left.

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	5. Chapter 5

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Arthur and Gwen looked at each other in silence after Tristan and Isolde left. Arthur began to apologize, it was his fault, he should never have used Lancelot's real name. The idea of becoming Lancelot du Lac had seemed like fun but of course now that it had backfired, he wished he hadn't done it.

Gwen brushed his apologies aside, it was her fault; she should have told the truth from the beginning and let Tristan deal with it. After all, it was unfair – and unethical to fire a person because of their marital status.

What was she going to do? She really loved her job and she was good at it. She called Morgana.

Arthur knew that he should probably leave, Gwen probably didn't want him around anymore but he couldn't just leave like that. As he watched her end the call to Morgana he made a decision.

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"What are we doing here?" Gwen asked Arthur. She couldn't believe she had let herself be talked into going with him.

"You didn't tell me we were going to be working out," Gwen complained as took another stumble and almost fell to the ground.

Arthur steadied her and explained, "When I'm frustrated and trying to figure things out I come here. It helps me think and relax."

"Climbing hills helps you relax?"

"Yes," Arthur replied. "It's really hard work getting up but it's worth it. You'll see."

When they got to the top of the hill Gwen forgot about the two times she had fallen, the stitch at her side and the many blisters she was sure she was going to have. Arthur had been right. It was breathtaking.

"Wow," she told him as she took in the view, "I've lived here all my life but I've never come up here."

"My dad brought us here a few years ago," Arthur told her. "He loved this place."

Gwen looked down and she could barely make out her car. She wasn't looking forward to the climb down.

"You like to worry about things, don't you?" Arthur asked her, laughing, when she told him. "Forget the climb, sit, and relax."

"That's easy for you to say," Gwen replied. "You do this for fun all the time."

"You know that's one of your problems."

One of my problems?"

"Yes," Arthur replied, "one of your problems."

"So you're saying I have more than one problem," Gwen said.

"You worry too much," he replied, "instead of enjoying the present you're too busy worrying about the future."

"And my other problems?" Gwen didn't know whether to laugh or be angry.

"You're too nice," Arthur told her.

"_Too nice_?"

"You let people walk all over you," Arthur replied. "For instance, you should have told Tristan off."

"Really?"

"When you were hired you were you told that being married was one of the conditions?" he asked.

"No, it wasn't actually."

"See," Arthur told her, "then you must have told him. In fact come to think of it, we both should have told Tristan and Isolde off, they were very annoying."

"Anything else?"

"I think that's enough for now," Arthur told her, "don't you?"

"Good," Gwen replied. "So what are you going to do, now that you're out of a job as well?"

"There you go again, being nice," Arthur replied, and then he became serious, "actually I was going to tell you today, but I got sidetracked with all that happened. I have an audition next week."

"That's great."

"Agravaine finally did his job," Arthur replied, "there's this new series about Robin Hood and they're looking for an unknown to play the lead, so I'm going to see them on Wednesday."

"So I guess Tristan finding out that we were just pretending was really good news," Gwen pointed out.

"I guess."

They kept silent. The next logical topic of conversation was Gwen's job options and Arthur didn't want to bring it up, and Gwen didn't want to talk about it yet.

"I can imagine sharing a roof with Tristan and Isolde," Arthur said.

"Thank God we didn't have to," Gwen agreed.

"They'd probably have checked on us to see if we were really sleeping in the same bed," Arthur said.

"Isolde would probably have told us that we were not sleeping the way we were supposed to," Gwen added.

They both laughed.

000

Gwen entered the office on Monday morning and was told that Tristan was waiting for her in his office. Morgana was in the office as well.

"I have just been talking to Morgana," Tristan told her. "And she explained everything to me."

Gwen waited in silence wondering what Morgana had told Tristan.

"I'm leaving," Tristan continued. "I have decided that Teddy's operation can run very well without me."

Gwen and Morgana were looking at him in shock.

"He picked the right people for the jobs," Tristan said. "And I should let them work."

"What exactly are you saying?"

"I'm saying that you're in charge of running things here until Teddy returns, Morgana," Tristan replied. "And Gwen, I would understand if you wanted to leave, but your job's still yours if you want it."

Tristan had been putting things in his bag as he spoke and when he finished he shook their hands, wished them luck and left.

"What did you tell him?" Gwen asked her friend.

"Wouldn't you like to know," Morgana replied, laughing but didn't elaborate.

Life was back to normal.

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	6. Chapter 6

000

**Thanks for reading and reviewing.**

000

Morgana couldn't believe it when she found out.

"Are you sure?" she asked again.

"Of course, I'm sure."

She listened in shock as George told her the whole story. The Jones' business had been on the brink of collapse when Tristan had been introduced to Isolde, in exchange for getting their daughter off their hands, the Williams would inject enough money into the Jones' business to keep them afloat.

Tristan and Isolde always said that they had met at a bar, when in fact they had met at Isolde's grandparents'' house, at party that had been set up for one purpose – to find Isolde a husband. Tristan had been one of five contenders and he had 'won' because Isolde's grandmother liked that he knew his place – he sucked up a lot.

000

"What did you tell Tristan?" Gwen asked her friend again. She had been asking her friend for about two weeks but Morgana had yet to tell her what had really transpired.

"I'd rather know what going on between you and Arthur," Morgana said.

"There's nothing going on," Gwen replied. "You know I haven't heard from since he got the part."

"He hasn't called you?"

"No," Gwen replied, "should he have called?"

"No," Morgana said, "I'm just surprised that's all."

"Why?"

"From what Gwaine told me, it seems that there was something more going on with you two."

000

"_Honestly, you've just made it worse," Gwen pointed out._

"_You know what they say," Arthur replied._

"_That you should never trust a man who says trust me."_

_Arthur turned and splashed water on Gwen getting her hair wet. She touched it in horror and said, "you didn't."_

"_I just did."_

_She pushed Arthur out of the way – he was supposed to have been fixing the tap and grabbed one of the pans that was filled with water and poured it on him._

"_You want a water fight?" Arthur asked, picking another pan and running after Gwen, "you got it." Gwen slid and pulled him down with her, they stumbled to the ground splashing water everywhere and getting wet as well. _

_Arthur looked at Gwen, she was wet and her hair was no longer sleek and stylish, it was becoming curlier; she was laughing, happier than he'd ever seen her and without thinking about it he leaned in to kiss her._

"_What's going on here?"_

_Arthur and Gwen broke apart and looked up at the intruder._

"_Gwen?"_

"_Hi, Gwaine," Gwen said. "I didn't know that you were back."_

"_Clearly." Gwaine was relieved. When he'd walked into the house and heard the sounds of laughter he had been a bit scared of running into Morgana and her new love interest. He looked at the man sitting on the floor next to Gwen._

"_Where are Morgana and Katie?"_

"_They're out."_

_Gwaine nodded and then pointed at Arthur, "who's he?"_

"_This is Arthur," Gwen said, and Arthur added, "her husband."_

"_You got married and you didn't tell me," Gwaine seemed genuinely hurt at the prospect._

"_Gwaine, this isn't …" Gwen began but was interrupted by Gwaine's, "I can't believe you didn't tell me."_

"_It all happened very quickly," Arthur said. He was enjoying Gwen's discomfort._

"_It must have," Gwaine agreed, "I haven't been out of town that long. So this is your honeymoon, right?"_

"_Not quite," Gwen said._

"_Don't worry," Gwaine said, "I know where I'm not needed. Forget I was ever here." Gwaine walked out the room and left, he really couldn't believe Morgana hadn't told him that Gwen was getting married. He wondered if Elyan knew about it._

000

"Arthur was just fixing the tap," Gwen told Morgana.

"Is that what they call it these days?"

"It was nothing," Gwen insisted. "After Gwaine left, Arthur fixed the tap, we cleaned the kitchen and he left."

"Three hours later," Morgana pointed out.

"Okay, we hang out for a while."

"I would say that it was more than hanging out," Morgana said.

"I helped him with his lines," Gwen said.

"His lines?"

"I told you he had an audition," Gwen reminded her. "After we cleaned the kitchen, we washed the linen, as I'm sure you noticed, and then I asked to look at the script and we read through it together, nothing else."

"I know," Morgana admitted laughing.

"_You know_?"

"Gwaine forgot his keys," Morgana said, "he came back for them and he saw you in the living room reading, he called me and told me everything."

"So I take it, it's on again," Gwen said.

"Seeing you and Arthur together really made Gwaine think," Morgana said, "by the way, he's really bummed that you didn't invite him for the wedding or even told him that you were getting married. He was so hurt, it was actually funny."

The waiter came to take their order and Gwen looked up in surprise as Gwaine made his way to their table with Elyan walking behind him.

"Elyan, I didn't know you were back," Gwen said, hugging her brother.

"I just got in about an hour ago," Elyan replied, "what's this I hear about you getting married?"

"You told him?" Gwen accused Gwaine.

"I can't believe you didn't tell him," Gwaine replied.

"Yes," Elyan replied, "I know I have been away for a while but I would have made it a point to be here for your big day." Elyan was a doctor who worked with Doctors Without Borders and had been in The Sudan for a year.

"That's what I thought as well," Gwaine said. "Unless there's something you're not telling us."

"What do you mean?" Morgana asked.

"Who's this Arthur Pendragon anyway?" Elyan asked. "What does he do for a living? Are you sure he didn't marry you for your money?"

"My thoughts exactly," Gwaine said, earning himself a slap on the shoulder from Morgana.

"Arthur is not a gold-digger," Gwen told them. "He's really not interested in me or my money and anyway he's gone now."

"You guys broke up already? He married you and abandoned you? I really need to meet this guy."

Gwen looked at her brother and her friends and decided to spill the beans. "…So I hired a guy to pretend to be my husband to get my boss off my back and keep my job," Gwen concluded.

"_You lied to me?"_

"_Your boss wanted to fire you because you're not married?"_

"Anyway that's all behind us," Gwen said, "Tristan's gone and so is Arthur. Life is back to normal."

"Why do you even keep working for these people, anyway?" Elyan asked. "Who fires somebody because they're not married?"

"So, are you back for good?" Gwen changed the subject.

"I'm thinking of staying at home for a while," he replied, "I really need to rest and if this fake marriage business of yours has shown me anything it's that you need taking care of."

"_Thanks a lot, Gwaine_."

"You're totally welcome," Gwaine replied, laughing.

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	7. Chapter 7

000

"Why don't you just call her?" Merlin asked.

"Because."

"That's not an answer," Merlin told him.

Arthur narrowed his eyes at his brother and said, "you know why."

"Oh yes," Merlin was attempting to hold back happiness but failed. "Some guy answered the phone, I recall it now."

Arthur had called Guinevere a few days earlier and a guy had picked up the phone.

000

Gwen loved Elyan. She really did and she had missed him when he was out of the country but after living with him for over a month she was fed up. He was too interested in her love life and he was everywhere.

When their grandparents had died Elyan had inherited their country cottage – a sprawling three-storeyed house, and Gwen had inherited the flat in town. Because of his job Elyan had put his house up for rent which is why he was now living with Gwen.

"He hasn't called you, has he?"

Gwen looked up from the novel she was pretending to read and look at her brother. "Who hasn't called? What are you talking about?"

"You know exactly who I am talking about," Elyan replied. "I knew he was just toying with you."

"Proves I was right though," Gwen told him.

"Right about what?"

"I told you that he wasn't interested in me or my money." Her answer was flippant but Gwen was a bit put out that Arthur hadn't called her. Thanks to Elyan she knew that they had been filming in Belarus but that they had returned home a few days earlier.

"I'm going to find him and give him a piece of my mind," Elyan said.

"Don't," Gwen begged him. Elyan was a horror when he was angry and he was far too interested in picking fights as far as Gwen was concerned. "It was a business arrangement, nothing more."

"Gwen, you know that's not true."

"'Okay," Gwen conceded. "I sort of liked him but for all I know he could have a girlfriend or something by now."

"He doesn't."

"Elyan what did you do?"

"I had him checked out," Elyan replied. "You know I had to."

Gwen nodded. Elyan had been checking out her friends and boyfriends for years. The fact that he hadn't told her any information meant that he hadn't found anything to worry him in Arthur's life.

"He told you the truth," Elyan continued. "He's a struggling actor with a little brother."

000

"What are we doing here Merlin?"

Merlin didn't reply but smiled at Arthur instead. They were standing outside the Camelot gallery, a well known photographer was exhibiting his works and somehow Merlin had managed to get them invitations to the event.

"Gwen is going to be here," Merlin said excitedly.

"Do I want to know how you got that information?"

"No," Merlin replied. "I don't think so."

They walked around the gallery looking the photographs and surprising they found that they were enjoying themselves.

"Thanks," Arthur said.

"For this?" Merlin looked at his brother surprised.

"Yes," Arthur replied.

"Well I figured it was my last chance to have a normal evening on the town with you before you got famous," Merlin replied. "And also to give a taste of the life you will be expected to live if Gwen ever agrees to be seen in public with you."

"Like I said, thanks."

"Anything for you, bro."

000

"There you are. Morgana told me that I might find you hiding out here." Helios was one of Morgana's oldest friends and when he was single – Helios was serial husband and had just divorced wife number three, Morgana was always trying to set them up.

Gwen turned and looked at the man standing infront of her. He held out a glass of champagne to her. "Thanks," she told him. "I needed some air."

"These events can be quite stuffy, can't they?"

"Yes, they can," Gwen agreed. "But as the exhibitor you should be inside seeing your art sell, Helios."

"Only if I can convince you to go back with me," he replied.

Gwen and Helios walked back into the room.

000

Gwen smiled at Helios; they were standing at the balcony where she had been standing earlier. She was having more fun than she thought she would.

Helios touched her cheekbones and said, "I would love to photograph you some day."

"I bet you say that to all the girls," Gwen laughed.

"It would be challenge," Helios continued. "To see if I could capture the glint in your eyes, and that perfect smile."

"Now I know you say that to all the girls," Gwen replied.

"I have to know," Helios said.

"Know what?"

Instead of answering Helios leaned in and kissed her.

000

"It probably means nothing," Merlin told Arthur. They had been watching Gwen ever since she'd arrived hoping to get a chance to talk to her.

"Let's go."

"You know people kiss each other all the time," Merlin continued. "He was probably overcome by the moment…"

"Shut up, Merlin."

000

Gwen slapped Helios and pushed him back almost making him fall.

"I'm sorry, Gwen," Helios said but she had already entered the room.

Gwen found her brother and her friends and told them that she'd had enough. She was leaving with or without them.

000

"We're overdressed," Elyan said as they entered the pub.

"Better overdressed than underdressed," Gwen said. The two of them had left the gallery and had walked to a pub to get something more substantial to eat.

"Are you going to tell me what Helios did?"

"No," Gwen replied. "I took care of it."

"Good."

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	8. Chapter 8

"I can't believe this," Gwen told him in shock. "You thought Helios was my boyfriend?"

Arthur shrugged. "The guy kissed you."

"So?"

"I didn't know what to think," Arthur replied. "And then I saw all these pictures of you in the newspapers."

"Old newspapers," Gwen told him.

"Okay, I'm an idiot," Arthur said. "But you're Guinevere Roberts from one of the oldest families in the country and I'm just Arthur Pendragon the guy you paid to pretend to be your husband." Arthur had finally worked up the courage to call Gwen and asked her to meet him for tea. They had been sitting at the restaurant for hours.

Elyan entered the restaurant and made his way towards them.

"What are you doing here?" Gwen asked him narrowing her eyes at him. "Did you follow me here?"

"Something of the sort," Elyan replied as though it was the most natural thing in the world. He hadn't actually followed Gwen but he had received a call informing him that they were meeting at that restaurant. He turned to Arthur and said, "It's about time you came to your senses."

"_What?"_

"You like Gwen, don't you?" Elyan asked.

"Yes, not that it's any of your business."

"And she likes you," Elyan said, ignoring his last words. "So stop dancing around and do something about it or I'll…"

"You'll what?" Gwen asked him.

"Beat him up," Elyan concluded.

_"You'll beat me up_?" Arthur asked him.

000

"I can't believe they are really going to do this."

Gwen and Morgana were standing in a gym watching Arthur and Elyan put on their gloves, they were going to box. Gwaine was in the middle of the ring he was going to referee the match.

"They're both bullheaded," Morgana said. "But this is going to be much more fun than spending the day with Gwaine's sister, she's in town and you know how she is."

"I've got twenty bob on Arthur," Merlin said.

"Twenty on Uncle Elyan," Katie said.

"And we're ready, go," Gwaine said.

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	9. Epilogue

Now in addition to missing Uther I'm going to miss Elyan as well… honestly!

Why?

**EPILOGUE**

"Where are we going?" Gwen asked.

"Obviously your understanding of the word surprise is different from everyone else's," Arthur was grinning, she could sense it.

"I love surprises as much as the next person," Gwen told him, "But we've been in the car for a while now, and, just in case you've forgotten, I'm blindfolded."

"Maybe I should put a sack over your head like Merlin suggested," Arthur joked.

"So Merlin knows you're doing this then?"

"He does," Arthur agreed.

"I don't know if that makes this surprise better or worse," Gwen said.

"Morgana suggested I stuff you in the boot to keep you from asking any questions," Arthur continued.

"She didn't."

"She did."

"So Morgana knows about this as well," Gwen concluded.

"I couldn't very well kidnap you without telling your best friend, could I?" he asked.

"I see," Gwen smiled. "So this is kidnap then, I thought it was a surprise."

"It's a surprise."

Gwen wondered what it was; they had been dating for a few months now and she figured it must be something big to get Merlin and Morgana involved.

000

Arthur drove the car into the driveway and parked. He looked at Elyan's cottage and shook his head; the rich were a really different kind of people. He opened the door for Gwen and led her into the house.

"Where are we?"

"You'll find out soon enough," Arthur assured her.

"I hope it isn't like that time you made me go whitewater rafting," Gwen told him. The six of them – Arthur, Gwen, Gwaine, Morgana, Elyan and his friend Lillian – had gone camping one weekend and Gwen had been dared to get into the raft.

"You had fun," Arthur reminded her. "You didn't want to leave."

Gwen shrugged; she had had fun that weekend.

"You had so much fun," Arthur continued, "you made me go bungee jumping although I told you I didn't want to."

"Payback," Gwen laughed. "And besides, you didn't want Team Pendragon to come in third, did you?"

"Team Pendragon, I like the sound of that," he kissed her on the cheek.

"Are you going to show me the surprise or what?"

Arthur took the blindfold off and Gwen looked around in surprise; they were at Elyan's house and it was breathtaking, there were flowers everywhere. As Gwen looked around she thought to herself that Arthur was going to propose to her. That was probably what the surprise was.

She looked up as Elyan entered the room and hugged her.

"Is this what I think it is?" she asked him. "Arthur's going to propose, isn't he?"

"Knew you'd figure it out soon enough," Elyan teased her.

"I don't why he go would to such trouble for a proposal," Gwen said.

"I told him the same thing," Elyan laughed, "but he wanted this and you deserve such and ever grander gestures."

As it turned out it was more than just a proposal. As soon as Gwen had accepted Arthur's hand he had led her outside where a minister was waiting to wed them infront of their closest friends and family. She had wondered about the dress that Morgana had insisted she wear (Morgana had taken her shopping a few days earlier and made her buy and wear that particular dress today, now it all made sense).

"I suppose that fact that I would refuse you never crossed your mind?" Gwen asked her husband as they walked down the aisle.

"Of course not."

"I suppose it's because you know me very well," Gwen continued.

"There's that," Arthur conceded. "But you did start this whole thing after all."

"Did I?" she asked him. "I don't recall starting anything."

"You did pay me to pretend to be your husband," Arthur replied. "So, of course you would want to marry me."

"I did do that."

"And you are loaded, so obviously I would want to marry you," Arthur teased her.

"And why would _she_ want to marry you?" Gwaine asked.

"I think it's time we danced," Arthur told Gwen and he took her into his arms.

"You may have shut me up now," Gwaine shouted at Arthur, "but I'm still waiting for an answer to that question. Everyone is."

**0000**

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